CE meets with president of Portuguese parliament

The Chief Executive (CE), Sam Hou Fai, met with the president of the Portuguese Parliament, José Pedro Aguiar-Branco, at the government headquarters on Friday.

The meeting was part of Aguiar-Branco’s visit to Macau and the mainland China last week.

During the meeting with the CE, the two sides exchanged views on further deepening the friendly and cooperative relations between China and Portugal, as well as continuing to leverage Macau’s role as a bridge and link between China and Portuguese-speaking countries.

As noted by the CE, Aguiar-Branco’s visit to China had included meetings with the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People’s Congress, Zhao Leji, and the Vice President of the People’s Republic of China, Han Zheng, to renew the traditional friendship between the two countries and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation.

Sam remarked that the inclusion of Macau as a stop on Aguiar-Branco’s visit to the People’s Republic of China “demonstrates the continued strengthening of the China-Portugal comprehensive strategic partnership, as well as Portugal’s strong ties of friendship with Macau.”

At the same time, Sam noted that a delegation from the local government would visit Portugal later this month, stating that “it will be the largest mission to engage with Portuguese officials, with the broadest scope of engagement to date.”

The CE also expressed his gratitude to the Portuguese counterparties for their long-standing trust in and support for the ‘One country, two systems’ principle, adding that the local government is “committed to preserving the cultural traditions of those in Macau with Portuguese heritage.”

Among these efforts, Sam mentioned promoting the teaching and dissemination of the Portuguese language, while ensuring a harmonious coexistence and mutual enrichment of Chinese and Portuguese cultures.

In turn, Aguiar-Branco stated that his visit to China is of great significance, underscoring Portugal’s high regard for the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries. He noted that the two countries aim to continue making joint contributions to promoting friendly cooperation, building on a solid foundation of mutual trust and support.

Praising the achievements in the implementation of the “One Country, Two Systems” principle in Macau, Aguiar-Branco also commended Macau’s efforts in safeguarding cultural diversity.

He emphasized that Portugal firmly adheres to the one-China principle while supporting Macau in its role as a bridge and link to help deepen cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, as well as the Community of Portuguese Language Countries.

Commenting on the upcoming visit by the local delegation to Portugal, he expressed hope that it would help both sides further elevate cooperation.

While in Macau, Aguiar-Branco also visited several local Portuguese-rooted institutions and met with several groups.

The tour included the Macau Portuguese School, the Consulate-General of Portugal for Macau and Hong Kong, the Holy House of Mercy, and the Portuguese Bookstore, among others.

During the visit to the Holy House of Mercy, the president of the Board of Trustees of the institution, António José de Freitas, noted that it was the first time the institution had received a visit from the president of the Portuguese Parliament.

Among the professional groups that had a special meeting with Aguiar-Branco were local Portuguese lawyers and jurists.

Besides the CE, Aguiar-Branco also had the opportunity to exchange views with the president of the Legislative Assembly, André Cheong, the Secretary for Administration and Justice, Wong Sio Chak, and the director of the Macao Government Tourism Office, Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes.